Cool English

2009-11-16T22:18:00.001+01:00

Diary by Maura Vitali

2008-05-06T18:52:00.002+02:00

3rd May
Dear Diary
Today I passed all day doing homework!! Now I’m very tired. This morning I woke up very early, I had breakfast and I started homework. Then I had lunch and I relaxed a little, but at 3 o’ clock I had to start to study Greek, Latin, Epic and History for Monday and Art for Tuesday. Fortunately I finished homework and studying at 6.30, I had dinner and now I’m writing to you while I listen to music. Lately there are many beautiful new songs on the radio. I like best Stop and Stare of One Republic, 4 minutes of Madonna feat Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, Hot Stuff of Craig David, Falling Down of Duran Duran, In my arms of Kylie Minogue, Stay Beautiful of The Last Goodnight, Bleeding Love of Leona Lewis, Don’t Jump of Tokio Hotel, Love Song of Sara Bareilles and many other songs.
Perhaps it’s better if I go to bed because tomorrow I must go to school even if I wouldn’t go there, I wish it were summer!!!! Kiss.
Maura

Diary by Maura Vitali

2008-05-06T18:51:00.003+02:00

2nd May
Dear Diary
Today I passed all day to read a fantastic history novel. It’s called “ A day into ancient Rome” and it was written by Alberto Angela. It’s nearly a documentary of about Ancient Rome, not a novel, but it’s very interesting. I interrupted to read it only to see the new Blue-sky cartoon “Dr. Seuss’ Horton hears a who!” from the creators of “Ice age” dubbed into Italian by Cristian De Sica and many other Italian actor.
Today I didn’t do anything! No homework, nothing of nothing! It was time that I switched off my mind and I relaxed it. What a pity!! Tomorrow I’ll do homework against my will!!! Noooooooooooooooooo! And I’ll do a lot of homework: Latin, Greek, Epic, Maths, English and art. I wouldn’t to do homework but I have to do it. Perhaps it’s better if I go to bed because tomorrow I have a lot of homework to do. Kiss.
Maura

Diary writing by Maura Vitali

2008-05-06T18:42:00.004+02:00

1st May
Dear diary
Today is the first day of May and in Italy we celebrate the Labour day. Labour Day is an annual holiday celebrated all over the world that resulted from efforts of the Labour union movement, to celebrate the economics and socials achievements of workers.

The celebration of Labour Day has its origin in the eight hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.
So, since the '90s, every year the trade unions have organized a massive free concert in Rome, with attendances topping a million people.

I always thought that we celebrated this day only in Italy, but I read that most countries celebrate Labour Day on May 1, known as May Day and International Workers' Day.

In Europe the day has older significance as a rural festival which is predominantly more important than that of the Labour Day movement. The holiday has become internationalized and several countries hold multi-day celebrations including parades, shows and other patriotic and labour-oriented events.
May 1 is a national holiday in Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Jordan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Lebanon, Malaysia, México, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovenia, Sweden, Thailand and Vietnam, besides Italy.

In Slovenia, May 2 is also a national holiday and in Poland, while May 1 is a national holiday, it was renamed from Labour Day to simply "State Holiday" in 1990.
Unfortunately the free concert organized isn’t anything special and I have never watched it. I passed all day dozing and to watching old black and white films.
Now I’d better go to bed.
Kiss
Maura

Scones

2008-04-23T19:59:00.002+02:00

INGREDIENTS

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
* 1/2 cup raisins (or dried currants)
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1 large egg

DIRECTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal), then stir in raisins.
3. In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.
4. Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. (The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.)
5. Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. of sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

Marina Di Bitonto

Banana Bread

2008-04-23T19:55:00.003+02:00

Preparation Time 15 minutes

Cooking Time 50 minutes

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients (serves 10)
Melted low-fat dairy spread, to grease
265g (1 3/4 cups) self-raising flour
40g (1/4 cup) plain flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
140g (2/3 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
125ml (1/2 cup) skim milk
2 eggs, lightly whisked
50g butter, melted, cooled
2 overripe medium bananas, mashed

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush an 11 x 21cm (base measurement) loaf pan with melted dairy spread to lightly grease. Line the base and 2 opposite sides with non-stick baking paper, allowing it to overhang.
Sift the combined flours and cinnamon into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and make a well in the centre. Place the milk, eggs, melted butter and banana in a medium bowl, and stir until well combined. Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into slices to serve.
Notes & tips
This banana bread will keep in an airtight container out of direct sunlight for up to 3 days. Alternatively, place in an airtight container, then label, date and freeze for up to 1 month. Place in the fridge overnight to thaw.

Marina Di Bitonto

Jam Roly-Poly

2008-04-23T19:00:00.004+02:00

Jam Roly-Poly or Dead Man's Leg is a traditional British dessert probably invented in the early 19th century. It is a flat-rolled suet pudding, which is then spread with jam and rolled up. In days past, Jam Roly-Poly was also known as shirt-sleeve pudding, because it was often steamed and served in an old shirt-sleeve. Because of this, another nickname for the pudding was dead-man's arm. It was also known as dead man's leg. Jam Roly-Poly features in Mrs Beeton's cookery book, as Roly-Poly Jam Pudding. It is a very rich and heavy dessert which may not be suited to modern tastes. Popular with kids.

Recipe
Ingredients
• 250g/8oz self-raising flour
• Pinch salt
• 125g/4oz shredded suet
• 90-120ml/6-8tbsp water
• 6 tbsp raspberry jam, warmed
• a little milk
• 1 egg, beaten, and caster sugar to glaze
Method
• Sift the flour into a bowl with the salt. Add the suet and sufficient water to create a soft but not sticky dough.
• Turn on to a floured board and roll out to a rectangle about 20x30cm/8x12in.
• Brush the pastry with the warmed jam, leaving a 1cm/½in border all round.
• Fold in this border and brush with milk. With the short side towards you, roll up the pastry loosely and seal the ends well.
• Place on a greased baking sheet, with the sealed edge underneath. Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with caster sugar.
• Bake in the oven at 200C/400F/Gas 6 for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.
• Remove from the oven, sprinkle on a little more sugar and serve hot with home-made English custard.
Variation
A peeled, sliced apple may be spread over the jam before rolling up.

Alternative Recipe (Steamed)
• 200g self-raising flour
• 100g vegetable suet
• finely grated zest and juice 1 small lemon
• 1 medium egg, beaten
• 2-4 tbsp milk or water
• 200g red jam of your choice such as plum, cherry, raspberry or strawberry
• pinch salt
• custard or cream to serve.
Method
• Stir the flour, suet, salt and lemon zest together then work to a firm dough with the lemon juice, egg and milk or water.
• Roll out to a rectangle about 25 x 20.5 cm/10 x 8in and spread jam to within 2.5cm/1in of the edges. Roll up starting from a short end and seal the edges well with a little water.
• Set the roll on a sheet of well buttered foil and wrap, making sure you seal the ends well. If you are feeling traditional use cheese cloth or a shirt sleeve to steam in (see below).
• Set in a steamer and steam for 2 hours.
Variation
A peeled, sliced apple may be spread over the jam before rolling up.

By Maria Enrica Peluso

APPLE PIE CRUST

2008-04-23T18:52:00.003+02:00

2 1/2 cups white flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter, broken into small pieces
5 tbsp. cold vegetable shortening
8 tbsp. ice water
• Measure the flour, sugar and salt togetherl. Stir to combine.
• Add the chilled butter pieces and shortening to the bowl. Cut them in with a pastry cutter or knife. Don't over mix them.
• Add the ice water. Mix until the dough holds together (add a bit more water, if necessary).
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead it together, then divide in half.
• Flatten each half into a disk, wrap in saran wrap and chill for at least half an hour.
• Roll out one of the disks on a lightly floured surface until you have a circle that's about 12 inches in diameter.
• Put the circle in a 9" pie plate, trimming any extra dough from the edges with a sharp knife (parents only). Return it to the refrigerator until you are ready to make the pie.
• Add filling (see below)
• Roll out the second ball of dough and cover top. Use a fork or your fingers to pinch the edges together. cut a couple slits in the top.
FILLING
1/3 to 2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
8 medium sized apples (a medium apple = about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons margarine
• Heat oven to 425 degrees.
• Peel, core and slice the apples. Try to keep the size of the slices even.
• Mix sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl.
• Stir in apples.
• Pour into pastry-lined pie plate.
• Dot with margarine.
• Cover with top crust and seal the edges. Cut slits in the top.
• OPTIONAL: Cover edge with 3-inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent too much browning.
o Remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking.
• Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust.

Giovanni Piccirilli

Almond Shortbread

2008-04-18T20:06:00.002+02:00

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup (90 grams) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (30 grams) almond flour (meal)
2 tablespoons (15 grams) rice flour or cornstarch (corn flour)
1/8 teaspoon salt
Flaked almonds for decorating the top of the shortbread (optional)

• Preheat oven to 150 degrees C with the rack in the middle of the oven. Have ready a 15 cm tart pan with a removable bottom.
• In the bowl of your electric mixer cream the butter and sugar until smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl whisk together the flours (all purpose, almond, and rice) and salt. Add this mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and beat just until incorporated.
• Press the shortbread dough evenly into the tart pan. Prick the surface of the shortbread with a fork to prevent the shortbread from puffing up. Using a sharp knife, score (make shallow lines) the top of the shortbread into 8 even pieces. Gently press the flaked almonds in a decorative pattern on the top of the shortbread.
• Place in preheated oven and bake until it is nicely browned (biscuit colour), about 60-70 minutes. Transfer shortbread to rack and cool for five minutes before removing from tart pan. Place the shortbread round on a cutting board and cut into 8 wedges (along the lines scored). Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Makes 8 shortbread wedges.

Maura Vitali

Pepper cake

2008-04-18T19:57:00.002+02:00

This cake has other names, but we know it as 'Pepper Cake', but it is more commonly known as 'Carol Singing Cake'. The cake is very easy to make and it is heavy as well as being slightly spicy. Wonderful for cold nights!
Ingredients:
675g or 1 ½ lbs plain four
225g or 8oz butter
225g or 8oz dark, soft brown sugar
25g or 1 oz ground cloves
675g or 1 ½ lbs black treacle
4 eggs, well beaten together
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Milk as required
Method:
1. Rub the butter into the flour, using your finger tips, until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs
2. Now stir in the sugar and the cloves
3. Add the treacle and the well beaten eggs
4. Add the bicarbonate of soda which has been mixed in a LITTLE milk to dissolve it
5. Pre-heat the oven to 170'C / 325'f / gas mark 3
6. Put the cake mixture into a well greased roasting tin and bake for 1 ¾ hours
Serve cold

Stefano Catania

A card from Florence

2008-04-17T20:31:00.002+02:00

Dear Daniele
How are you?
I'm fine. I'm in France with my parents and I'm enjoying myself very much but I miss you a lot. I can't wait to come back and see you again.
I met a lot of boys. We played a volleyball match and we won!
I'll see yu again in a few days
Kisses
Francesca Carrino

A poscard from San Marino

2008-04-09T14:48:00.004+02:00

Dear Marina
How are you?
I'm writing this postcard to you because I'm doing a trip with my family. We are making the tour of italy.
I'm well and I hope to see you as soon as possible.
Best wishes

Ilaria Proietti

A card from the Cribbean

2008-04-09T14:47:00.004+02:00

Dear Leon
the Caribbeans are beautiful and the sea is fantastic, I even saw some dolphins. In these days I have visited the villages and the people are fantastic and really hospitable.
I bought a very nice souvenir.
I don't really like the local food, I prefer Italian food.
Claude, the other people and I are enjoying ourselves a lot. When we come back we'll see all the photos and film.
We all regret (me in particular) that you weren't able to come because of chickpox.
What a pity!
Heal soon
You best Friend
Laura Enria

A postcard from Rmini

2008-04-09T14:45:00.003+02:00

Dear Katy
Yesterday I arrived in Rimini!
Now I'm on the beach with my bst friends Romina and Arianna! We are sunbathing. The weather is fantastic and the hotel is beautiful, but not too luxurious fo me. It's near the beach.
We are having a very good time in Rimini. There are many shops and pubs!
Tomorrow we are going to Cattolica.
We miss you!
With love
Eleonora Mascioli

One more card from Paris

2008-04-05T16:16:00.004+02:00

Dear Sarah
How are you?
I'm very well. I'm in Paris with a friend of mine and I'm enjoying myself. We are in a hotel in the ciy centre and we have visited the Eiffel Tower and a lot of museums. They are wonderful. The weather is nice here.
My friend and I will come back to Rome in 5 days.

See you soon
Saverio Fattori

A postcard from Norway

2008-04-05T16:12:00.005+02:00

Dear friend

I'm in a little peaceful village in Northern Norway, Hammerfest. This village is situated on a fjord, it has a small port with some big and small boats. The houses are made of wood and are painted in evey possible colour. Behind the village there's a greem hill. As you can see the view is really beautiful and I'm enjoying myself a lot.

Best Wishes

Tommaso Procaccianti

A card from Pescara

2008-04-05T16:06:00.005+02:00

Hi Valeria!
How are you?
I'm in Pescara and I'm really enjoying this holiday! Here it's wonderful, the weather is sunny and it' very hot, in fact we go to the beach every day. The beach is very big with white sand. Pescara is a small city by the sea, full of shops and full of people.
I bought lots of things yesterday because it rained. I couln't go to the beach so I went shopping and I bought lots of things. I also bought a little present for you.

Lots of kisses
Love Marina Dente

A card from Barcelona

2008-04-04T16:55:00.003+02:00

Hi Myriam! How are you?
I feel so happy 'cause I'm in Barcelona with my class for a five-day school trip.
Barcelona is the capital city of Cataluna and it's really wonderful. People are nice and it's fascinating walking along the "Ramblas", full of shops and steet markets with very nice things.
In the Ramblas there are street performers of all sorts, some of them sing, others paint, others perform with puppets, others play different musical instruments.
In this postcard you can see one of the most important monuments in Barcelona, the "Sagrada Familia" by the most famous architect from Cataluna, Gaudì. who never finished it. The towers are so high and the church so stately! Unfortunately I couldn't go inside the church because our tour wasn't very well organised and we diddn't have enough time, so I hope I can come here again.
I want to tell you aobut a very big park, also designed by Gaudì. We had an amazing view of the city from a terrace in this garden. You can see that Barcelona is really different from other cities. The colours are wonderfully bright.
I'm really enjoying myself with my friends. I only wish you were here with me.

With Love
Stefano Catania
PS I have to tell you lots of things when I'm back.

A card from Calabria

2008-04-04T16:45:00.002+02:00

Dear Francesca
I'm writing to you from Montescuro a nice village in the mountains in Calabria.
This place is great! The atmosphere you can feel is really special. Montescuro is a country village and the lifestyle is really different from our hectic rhytm of life in the city.
Besides n Montescuro the food is delicioussly good. I especially like pasta with "nduja" cheese (I would eat so much of that). I even noticed that people here are very kind and always ready to help tourists like me, in fact I don't have a good sense of direction!
Yesteday I went to Camigliatello, a small town near Montescuro. It' beautiful: here. I bought many simple and cheap presents (when I come bck home I'll bring one to you too).
I wish this holiday never ended. It's a very good experience.
A bg kiss
Maria Enrica Peluso

Another card from Sardinia

2008-04-04T16:39:00.002+02:00

Hi friend! How are you?
I'm very happy because here in Sardinia (Gulf of Orosei) the sea is really beautiful. It's very hot but I'm on the beach all day. In the sea there are lots of fish, it is fantastic.
I'm meeting a lot of boys and girls: In the morning I'm on the beach with my family then we play beachvolley. In the eveining I go clubbing with my friends and we dance all night.
This trip is fantastic and when we meet this weekend we'll talk all day.
A big kiss

Romina Sigismondi

A card from Salento

2008-04-04T16:31:00.005+02:00

Hi Arianna!

At the moment I'm in Puglia in "Salento" The weather is very nice and the sun is shining. I'm staying in a house near the beach. Here I've got a lot of friends and we are together all the time. Yesterday I went to the seaside with my friend Luca. We played volleyball on the beach and we swam. He's very funny and I'm enjoying myself a lot with him. And you? Are you enjoying yourself? Did you have a good time in Sicily? Now I have to go to the beach: I'm wearing the bikini you gave me...
I love you
Kisses
Cecilia Missori
PS: When I return we go out, OK?

One more card from London

2008-04-04T16:19:00.004+02:00

Hi Federica!
I'm in London for the weekend. I left on Friday morning with my friends Francesca and Susanna. This holiday is really exciting. I'm learning English and I'm very happy! London is fantastic, especially Tower Bridge but I love London Bridge, Prliament Hill and Westminster Abbey too.
With Love

Valentina Muglia

A card from Siena

2008-04-04T15:50:00.004+02:00

Hi Jessica!
Howare you?
Now I'm in Siena and here it's fantastic... This is the first day of a school trip and I'm happy.
This evening we'll stay in a hotel in Montecatini and tomorrow we'll visit Florence.
I wonder if I like it!
xxx
Maura Vitali

A postcard from Hawaii

2008-04-04T15:44:00.003+02:00

Hi Joe!
How are you?
Guess where I'm writing to you from? From Hawaii!
At the moment I'm sunbathing on the most beautiful beach that I have ever seen. The beach is full of people and there are a lot of handsome boys.
I havo to go and play beachvolley with my friends!

Love
Agnese Ventura

Another Card from London

2008-04-04T15:37:00.003+02:00

Hi Ax!
How are you? We haven't met for a long time. I'm in London and I'm having a good time. The weather is good. I'm staying in a luxirious hotel near the river Thames. I have a fantastic view of the Millennium Wheel, a big tourist attraction in London, from my bedroom window.
I went on a great bus tour of the city and I visited St Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace, which is very beautiful. I saw the changing of the Guard and then I ate in a typical restaurant.
Please thank your mother for her biscuits.
See you soon
Love
Nicola Cammisa

A Card from Elba

2008-04-04T15:32:00.003+02:00

Hi Francesco!
I'm in the Isle of Elba. It's beautiful. You can see the beautiful sea and beach in the picture.
At the moment I'm on a rowing boat. It's magnificent and the sea is so clean and transparent!. I'm staying in a big hotel. I hope that next year we can go to the Isle of Elba togethert.
I must go to swim now!
Bye, bye!
Emanuele Ciranna

A postcard from Paris

2008-04-03T17:21:00.002+02:00

Dear Paolo
I'm in France at the moment. I took a plane from Rome and now here I am in a beautiful hotel near the Louvre.
On the first day I visited the Louvre of course. It is very big and there are many pictures by important artists. In the evening I went to the Eiffel Tower which is very tall, as you can see in the picture.
On the second day we went to Versailles near Paris. It's fantastic. My mother bought a postcard with the wonderful paalace and the gardens.
This is my last day here because I'm returning in Italy.
I hope you like thi postcard.

See you soon
Your best friend
Lorenzo Malatesta

A card from Croatia

2008-04-03T17:13:00.002+02:00

Dear Katia
Hi! I'm in KRK, an island in Croatia with my family. Today we visited this place and we went to the beac. You can see the landscape and you can understand as everything is marvelloous.
There are a lot of very nice houses, the sea is calm and clean, really spectacular.
Our hotel is very good but it isn't luxurious. In the harbour there are lots of boats and we will have a boat tour!
The weather is fantastic! O my God it's very hot now but they say that it's very cold in winter.
I'm enjoying myself!

With love
Yours
Andrea Di Lena

A card from Sardinia

2008-04-03T17:03:00.003+02:00

Dear Sara
How are you? I'm fine.
As you know, at the moment I'm in Sardinia in a little beautiful village. And you? Where are you?
Sardinia is very very beautiful. There's a wonderful sea and fantastic views.
Every day I go to the beach with my friennds and we play volleyball or football and we swim a lot.
At 4 o' clock we go home and after dinner, when I eat all sort of food, I go out with my friends again. We gor for a walk or we just hang around and listen to music.
This is a paradise and I don't want to go back to Rome even if I miss you!

Sassi I love you

See you soon
Manuela Loi

A Card from Lisbon

2008-04-03T16:58:00.004+02:00

Dear Giorgia
I'm on holiday! At the moment I'm in Square Restaudadores in Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal. It's a bautiful city but caotic and crowded.
In this postcard you can see that Lisbon is fantastic in the evening. I hope that you'll visit this city because I think that you'd like it.

Kisses
Giuli Di Vattimo

A postcard from Hammamet

2008-04-03T16:47:00.003+02:00

Dear Cecilia
How are you?
I'm fine., and here in Hammamet (Tunisia) I'm having a lot of fun! I'm really happy to be here. I'm with my father and his girlfriend Daniela. Yesterday we visited the Medina and the day before yesterday we went shopping in a beautiful town called Said-ban-said (I'm not sure the name is correct|) This morning we went camel riding, we ate Tunisian bread and we saw Tunisia traditions. After lunch we relaxed in the Hammam and in the swimming pool.
Unfortunately tomorrow we're ccoming back to Italy and we're going to start our boring routine again. But I'm happy that I'm going to meet you and your family.
Now I must go, I wrote too many things in this card!
See you tomorrow

Best wishes
Chiara Di Silvio

A card from London

2008-04-03T16:39:00.003+02:00

Hi Margherita!
I'm in London with my parents for my Easter holidays. I'm coming back tomorrow after lunch. I'm truly sorry. London is wonderful: I like it a lot. People are very friendly and the museums, the buildings and the river are really beautiful. The weather is good, the sun is shining and it's warm.
Thi morning I vsited Wetminster Abbey, Piccadilly Circus and Buckingham Palace. Spectacular! At the moment I'm in a restaurant in the CIty but this afternoon I'm going to visit Tower Bridge and then I'm going shopping at Harrods,
I'll buy lots of presents also for you!
Tomorrow we can go out together!

Lots of love
Michelle Paoli

A poscard from Mexico

2008-04-03T16:31:00.003+02:00

Dear Lanny
In Mexico it's very hot, particularly now in August. Fortunately there ae some clouds.
At he moment I'm in a village near the coast and there's a white beach.
Most of the food is hot but good.
Yesterdy I visited the park of an archaeological site. There were a lot of pyramids and temples. Today I'm visiting another site, actually the best known one in Yucatan.
See you soon
Giovanni Piccirilli

A card from Monaco

2008-04-03T16:27:00.003+02:00

Hi Paolo!
How are you?
I'm in Monaco. I'm having a lot of fun. I'm here with my friends. Yesterday I went shopping.
I'l meet you at the weekend.

Best wishes

Ilaria Cerbino

A postcard from Sidney

2008-04-03T16:17:00.003+02:00

Dear John

At the moment I'm on holiday in a beautiful place. Sidney!
The journey was very long and when I arrived I was so tired. The weather is really good, we are having a lot of hot and sunny days. Our hotel i s comfortable and it's near the beach. the food is not bad. Yesterday we had a fantastic experience. we swam in the sea and we saw some dolphins. Tomorrow we are going to visit a natural reserve with lots of animals, koala, kangaroos, parrots etc.
What about you?
Write to me soon
Love
Marina Di Bitonto

Postcards from all over the world

2008-03-26T22:25:00.003+01:00

Learn English - Diet

2008-03-13T00:11:00.009+01:00

Learn English - Pets

2008-03-13T00:11:00.003+01:00

Learning English - Lesson two.

2008-03-13T00:11:00.001+01:00

Learn English - Time time time

2008-03-03T22:10:00.003+01:00

Learn English - Food

2008-03-03T22:06:00.001+01:00

Study Cool English - Amazing Tree - www.EnglishKitty.com

2008-03-03T22:03:00.001+01:00

Adverbs

2008-02-20T23:58:00.004+01:00

2008-02-20T20:25:00.001+01:00

BubbleShare: Share photos - Find great Clip Art Images.

On the Beach

2008-02-02T14:48:00.003+01:00

I'm on the beach in Sicily with my family and my friends from Rome. I'm enjoying myself because it is sunny and everybody is happy at the moment. I'm playing volleyball with my sister Francesca and my cousins: I'm having great fun. the children are building sand castles. I love the beach. Now we are eating in the restaurant: we are twelve people. before going to the restaurant we have a shower. My aunt and my uncle are under the beach umbrella, my parents are swimming, my brother is sippimg coca-cola. It's a beautiful day. Oh my god, my mother misses her wallet, fortunately my father finds it. Just a moment, I'm coming!

Andrea Di Lena

At the moment I'm on the beach with my best friends Romina and Ilaria. Romina and Ilaria are sunbathing on deck-chairs. Romina is wearing ared and white swimmimg suit and a black top beacuse it is sunny but also windy. Ilaria is going to the bar she is going to buy ice-creams. Now she's coming back to our beach umbrella with ice-cream for everybody, but Romina and I on't want ice-cream so Ilaria is going to it them all|

Eleonora Mascioli

I'm in Florida for my summer holidays. I'm with some friends. It's mid-morning. we're swimming in the sea. It's absolutely wonderful. The sea-water is so blue. Lots of people around me are sunbathing on the beach. Some people are eating ice-cream or drinking refreshing cocktails. Other people are playing beach tennis or beach volley. A few boys are jogging on the shore.

We are going to a beach party tonight. There will be tribal music and Brazilian dances. I think we'll enjoy it a lot and we'll make new friends.

Stefano Catania

I'm on the beach. Some people are swimmimg in the sea. I'm swimming too. After swimming we are going to play soccer on the beach. At the end of the match we are going to sit under my beach umbrella for some time then my friends and I are going to have a competition and everybody will suppot me. of course I'll win. After that we're going to the bar to have lunch because it's 2 o'clock. the we'll return undermy umbrella for an hour. then I'm going surfing becuse I want to try everything.

Emanuele Ciranna

I'm on holiday- I'm at the seaside with my friends. The beach is full of people. next to my beach umbrealla an old woman witha strange swimming suit is listening to music. Some kids are playing ball in the water and the lifeguard is watching over the beach. A an and his girlfriend are sunbathing and I'm just going to the bar bcause it's very hot.

Agnese Ventura

My ideal holiday! I'm with my friend in Australia. I'm sunbathing on the beach and swimming in the sea. I'm talking to the lifeguard ho's listening to music near my beach umbrella. i'm singing with my friend and we are having a great time together.

(Unknown)

Hawaii are beautiful. I always spend my holidays at the seaside. It's mid-morning on Sunday The sun is exactly over me. soem children are swimmig and playing in the water while their families are sunbathing. In inside a bungalow and I'm eating some slices of fresh pineapple, I'm very happy to be here. the beach is white and around it there are many palm trees. Other people are arriving. Many of them are playing volleyball or football. the others are the local lifeguards they are patrolling the beach to check children, Far away I can see an old man who' fishing. there are many strange fish here. Hawaii is a real Paradise. I wish everyone could come here.

Marina Dente - IVC Liceo Ginnasio "Augusto", Roma

I'm in a big beach with my friends and my parents. I can see a fantastic sea. Aaround the beach there are many people. some of them are palyng volleyball, others are playing football. I can see a ship far away on the sea. We are going to swimm but the sea-water is cold. From the sea I can see my mothe who is sunbathing.

(Unknown)

I'm at Hawaii in abeautiful seaside resort. it's mid morning and I'm on the beach. The beach is big and I can see lots of people. it's a beautifl day and I'm swimming in the sea. It's a beautiful sea. My mother is drinking and my father is joging on the beach. many children are playing football. When I finish swimming I'm going to play football after wearing dark sunglasses. Now I'm listening to music near my parents. It's 11 o'clock and a person is eating a big sandwich. is it possible?

It's 1 0'clock I'm eating some pasta in the cafè near the beach. I'm having a big ice-cream after pasta

Some people are swimming in the swimming pool near the beach at he moment.

It's 5 0'clock in the afternoon. I'm playing tennis with my father.

Lorenzo Malatesta

I'm in London. It's a beautiful sunny day and I'm sitting outside a café in the city centre.I'm watching the people who are walking along the street very quickly. A few people are talkingin front of the café. One of them is reading a newspaper. I'm drinking a cup of tea and listening to the music with my new iPod. After a fe minutes my mobile phone rings. it's my mother she wants to know about the email I've written to a friend of mine who lives i, hamburg in germany. Now I'm going home and I'll write an e-mail to Marco, then I'll have dinner. i'll have fish and chips, yummy! then I'll go to bed.

(Unknown)

I'm on the beach with my family. It's mid-moning and it's very hot. My cousins are swimming, my mother is drinking a cocktail instead my faher is reading the newspaper to check the stock exchange listings. Although he doesn't have any stocks he's very interested in this sort of things. My aunt and uncle are in the bar. They're eating ice-cream. Now all the pepole in the beach are going to the restaurant for lunch. I'm not hungry I prefer to read my book and rest. This afternoon my brother and I are going to see the coral reef in a rowing boat. At the moment he's getting ready to go to the restaurant.

Giovanni Piccirilli

Dear Valeria

this morning I'm on the beach, The sea is beautiful but the water is very salty. Now I'm under my sun umbrella because it's very hot. Today I'm wearing the bikini you bought for me. Now my friends are calling me to play volleyball. I'm going to. I'm having great fun but I often think about you.
Love XXX
Cecilia

Cecilia Missori

It's Saturday afternoon Marina Valeria and I are sitting outside a nice café on the beach and we are having a milkshake. we are talking about boys and girls in our school. there's a handsome waiter who is carrying a cup of tea to a bautiful woman who's quarrelling on the phone, probably with her boyfriend or her husband. In front of us there are lots of peoplewho are talking to friends. the weather isn't very good. it's overcast. Now it's raining so we take our things and quickly go away.

Chiara Di Silvio

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 and 3/4

2008-02-01T17:57:00.003+01:00

Reading Chart

Author: Sue Towsend

Title: The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole

Publisher: Penguin Italia

Section 1: the work

Genre:

“The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole” is a teenagers book:it took about all problems Chat an adolescent may have such as a divorce in family, a very mean teddy-boy (called Barry Kent), a romantic and passionate love and firts of all: spots!!

Style:

The style of narration is really various. Togheter with the ironic/comic style, ho gives the narrations an easier resding, we can find also a realistic style because in the story there are many events ( the marriage of Lady Diana, the war Between Britain and Argentina) really happened.

Source:

In”The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole” the action start with the adrian’s New Years resolutions who will bring our protagonist to do many choisies (for exemple enter in a grog called “The Samaritains”).

Narrator:

Internal/ Firts person/ Intrusive

Main characters:

Adrian Mole: Adrian is a boy like other who luves in a small english town. In his path of life, shown in his diary, he describes all of the things who are happening arounding and inside him. His personality change in tris partycullary momoment of his life, infact his ideas and opinions became richer. Adrian find fault with his society, with his county and its political, economic and social sistems.

Pandora: She is Adrian’s firts love: she is a pretty girl with “the hair the colour of treacle, and it’s long like girls should be”. But the most important thing of Pandora is the personality: she is a strong girl infact she fight to defend per opinions. Besides she is a godo feminist because she promoute an qualità between men and women, an objective who still not be reached in our society!

Bert Baxter: He is an old man really untidy and, thing Chat Adrian dose like so much, he is a comunist. After all, Adrian will comprend that Bert is a good person, and and then, Adrian will accept Bert's political opinion.

Grandma: Adrian is really fond of his grandmother. She will stay with Adrian when his personality will be upset.

Barry Kent: He steal money and other stuff to Adrian, but, when Adrian's grandmother break into Barry's hous and she reproach him, he end his "activity". For this reason, all his scholl-mates conside him a stupid.

Adrian's Parents: They are a relly funny characters of the story. Somethimes they may seems like an awkards parents. Besides they aren't really present during the Adrian's formation-path. Maybe it's even for this reason that Adrian dosen't consider them like a models of life, infact during his diary he talk about his parents like two stupids and patetic peapole.

Plot:

"The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole is a jump into the troubled life of an adolescent. The story begin with the Adrian's new resolutions whwn hw promise to help the poor and ignorant. for this reason he enter in a group called "Samaritains" and there he will help a funny but strange old man: Bert Buxter to whom Adrian will dedicate one of his funny poema. While Adrian's parents are getting divorce. The life of Mole's

family in enlivening by Mr. Lucas, a man who lives in a near-by cottage. Infact it will born a love-story between Adrian's mother, Pauline, and Mr Lucas, but this love will end really soon. Infact Pauline will caome back to stay with Adrian's father. Even at the school the problems are so much. Here, between the geography lessons and a cooking course, he met Pandora, the girl who will became his future but hard love. Besides Adrian is victim by an arrogant and mean teddy-boy named Barry Kent and after Adrian is involved in a punitive intervention by headmaster Scruton the most meanest villain of the story. Then Adrian form with his friends the "Pink Brigade" a radical group where they discuss "thing like war, peace and the ultimate destruction of capitalist society. In this moment Adrian publish a new journal called "The Voice of Youth" with esilarant article "Barry Kent: the truth!!".

After all, notwithstanding the many problems who surround the life of this young boy, Adrian live many and fantastic adventures!!!

Setting/Histotical Background:

For about the historical background we can say that the story take place in England in 1980: a most important period for all the Britain. On July 29th Adrian wrote about the Royal Wedding and he taught about this events like a patriotic moment for all english people. Infact he helped Mr. O'Leary with the preparations for the Royal Wedding street party and besides he saw the Royal Wedding reparts seven times on telly!!!

During the developement of the story we can observe that Pandora, Adrian's and Pandora's mother took part to many women's groups. In this period, after the ideal proposed in 1968, the feminist movement are really deffused. Besides on April 3rd Adrian wrote that Britain is in war with Argentina.

Social status:

Adrian belongs to the working class because we can see that his father is an uneployed, and, only after some rebukes from Adrian's mother, he can find a job. Opposite; we can considerate her in the upper class, infact she does horse riding and she has even a horse!!!

Section 2: personal response

Is the title consistent with the content?

Yes it is, because in his diary Adrian took about his most secrte feelings, fears, confessions (for exemple he reveal only to his diary about his magazines "Big and Bouncys").

Relevant points/Particulary effective passage:

I think that a very touching particulary could be when Adrian talk with Mr. Vann (at page 96), "the Careers teacher". In this scene Adrian ask to Mr. Vann wich O levels he to write a commedy for television. Mr. Vann answer him that for to be in telly you don't need any qualification, you just need to be a moron. Unfortunatly Mr. Vann's words are so much true.This sentece explain to us what kind of people makes the TV, the most important comunication and formation means of our society. It's really important even when Pandora say to Adrian that she will not marry at twenty years hold because she don't want to become an housewife. Infact she want come true herself before, like a working woman and only after like a mother. This is a really important particular because in eighties........ many women were an hosewife. The same Adrian and Adrian's father don't like his mother's decision to looking for a job because he think that she would be unsuitable.

Evalutation:

I think that the book was really funny and instructive because Sue Townsend describe many sad event with a comic style. Sue Townsend can make you smile with pages of her book. She can talk about political, social and family problems with the simple eyes of a teen and not like an adult. Besides in this book she can describe very well Adrian's personality infact I think that she have shorn in her life the same successions and feelings of Adrian. For the other characters I think that the author were really accurate to describe their personality and their feelings. At last a most important thing were the style: it is really clear and simple but ovviusly for an italian reader like me it was really difficoult to search on dictionary to compriend many senteces.

Section 3: the author

Biography/Works:

Sue Townsend in an english author and she was born in 1946. She works about teatre's arrangement and cinema.she wrote many books such as "The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole (1984), "True Confessions of Adrian Albert Mole (1898), "Adrian Mole: from minor to major" (1991),The Queen and I"(1992), "Adrian Mole: the Wildness Years" (1999) and "Number Ten" (2002). She was Britain's bestselling author of the 1980s. She lives in Leicester.

Maria Enrica Peluso

Fortunately/Unfortunately

2008-02-01T17:56:00.008+01:00

I Went out for a walk

Unfortunately it started to rain
Fortunately I had an umbrella
Unfortunately it was broken
Fortunately I met a friend in his car
Unfortunately his car ran out of petrol
Fortunately we were near a petrol station
Unfortunately it was closed
Fortunately we found a taxi
Unfortunately we didn't have any money
Fortunately my friend found a wallet in the stree
Unfortunately there was no money inside
Fortunately the taxi driver fell aslpeed and we run away
Unfortunately my friend broke a leg while we were running
Fortunately we were near a hospital
Unfortunately my friend could'nt walk there
Fortunately a nurse came with a strectcher and took her in

Eleonora Mascioli

There was a good film on TV last night
Unfortunately I saw only half of it
Fortunately there was my friend with me
Unfortunately my friend said the film wasn't very good but he watched it all through
Fortunately in the end my firend liked the film so he could tell me what happened
Unfortunately my friend fell off the stairs while he was going away
Fortunately he didn't break his leg

Manuele Ciranna

There was a good film on TV last night:
Unfortunately I didn't see it.
Fortunately my friends recorded the film on a casssette.
Unfortunately the cassette was broken.
Fortunately the TV will show the film in the nextweek.
Unfortunately my TV can’t show that program.
Fortunately my mother saw that film 2 years ago.
Unfortunately she didn’t remember anything about the film.
Fortunately I can buy the film in a shop.
Unfortunately it costs to much!
Fortunately this week myother gave me more pocket money!

Maria Enrica Peluso

Fortunately today is Sunday
Unfortunately I must stay at home
Fortunately I can play with my comuter
Unfortunately the computer is broken
Fortunately I have a laptop computer
Unfortunately my brother is using it
Fortunately the TV if free
Unfortunately the remote control doesn't work
Fortunately I can go out with my best friend
Unfortunately she can't.

Manuela Loi

There was a really good film on tv last night.

unfortunately the aerial fell down

fortunately my father called the aerial fitter,

unfortunately it rained and the aerial technician remained stuck in the traffic,

fortunately my father remembered that in our building lives an ex-aerial fitter retired,

unfortunately the light went off and my father has been locked in the lift,

fortunately I remembered the number of fireman and I called them,

unfortunately all the units were already engaged,

fortunately the light returned,

unfortunately my father didn't find the ex-aerial fitter,

fortunately the aerial fitter who my father has called arrived and I could see the end of the film.

Maura Vitali

There was a good fim on TV last night.
Unfortunately the television didn't work.
Fortunately I went to a friend's home to watch the film.
Unfortunately there was a lot of traffic.
Fortunately when I arrived the film hadn't started yet.
Unfortunately the remote control was broken so the volume was very low.
Fortunately my friend had a little book with the film's synopis
Unfortunately the friend's dog ate the book.
Fortunately the dog spit the book. up
Unfortunately the dog felt ill and my friend and me had to go to the vet.
Fortunately I watched the rest of the film sitting in a cafè in front of the vet surgery

Marina Dibitonto

TO BE CONTINUED....

Fortunately We were near a petrol station

Unfortunately It was closed

Fortunately He remembered that he had a petrol can in the trunk

Unfortunately It was empty

Fortunately A rescue van saw us and took us and our car

Unfortunately He didn't know the street where my friend lived

Fortunately He left us near the centre and we went back home

Unfortunately My friend didn't find his keys

Fortunately He found his keys in the end

Unfortunately Those were the wrong keys

Fortunately His neighbour had spare keys and we got home

Giovanni Piccirilli

TO BE CONTINUED....

Fortunately there was a petrol station nearby
Unfortuntely it as closed
Fortuntely I found a self-service one
Unfortunately it didn't work
Fortunately I found a taxi
Unfortunately the taxi driver was asleep
Fortunately a bus was coming
Unfortunately the bus was full so I hitchhiked
Fortunately a woman stopped
Unfortunatel she was with her boyfriend
Fortunately the boyfriend got out and the woman took me home.

Cecilia Missori

I wanted to watch TV last night but it was very hot
Unfortuntely the air conditioning didn't work
Fortuntely I had a ventilation fan
Unfortunately the fan broke down
Fortunately I drank a coke
Unfortunately there was wine in the coke bottle
Fortunately I relaxed and saw a god film
Unfortunately the power was cut off
Fortunately my neighbour had a TV
Unfortunatel My neighbour wasn't in
Fortunately a friend called me and we went to play football

Nicola Cammisa

There was a really good film on TV las night
Unfortuntely my TV was dead
Fortuntely I went to bed early
Unfortunately my friends called me
Fortunately I wasn't asleeep when they called
Unfortunately I ouldn't go out
Fortunately my best friend Jhon came to pick me up
Unfortunately he drove very fast and the police stopped him
Fortunately one of the policeman was a friend of his
Unfortunately the car wouldn't start again

Lorenzo Malatesta

Unfortuntely I caught flu
Fortuntely I had a packet of aspirins
Unfortunately there were no tablets left in the packet
Fortunately the chemist was open
Unfortunately I didn't ave a ny money
Fortunately my mother came home
Unfortunately my mum had lost her wallet
Fortunately she had some money in her jacket pocket
Unfortunately she had a hole in her pocket
Fortunately my dad came home with some aspirin

Agnese Ventura

There was a good film on TV las night
Fortunately I came home on time
Unfortuntely my TV was broken
Fortuntely I called a technician
Unfortunately He couldn't come
Fortunately my friend invited me to his house to watch TV
Unfortunately his key got stuck in his door
Fortunately we managed to open the door all the same
Unfortunately burglars had come in before us
Fortunately the police was coming
Unfortunately we couldn't watch the film

Anonymous

There was a really good film on TV las night

I went or a walk in the park on Sunday
Unfortuntely nobody came with me
Fortuntely I meet a friend
Unfortunately I didn't have lunch
Fortunately I read a book
Unfortunately the wind blow my book away
Anonymous

There was a really good film on TV las night

I wanted to go to a reastaurant with my friends yesterday
Unfortuntely the restaurant was closed
Fortuntely we had a car so we could go to the cinem
Unfortunately all the films had already stated
Fortunately we had a mobile phone
Unfortunately the phone didn't work
Fortunately we still had aour car
Unfortunately the car broke down
Fortunately there was a garage nearby
Unfortunately the garage was closed
Fortunately my parents picked me up and I went home to sleep

Anonymous